Bad Food
by Keagen
Summary: "Every time someone gets poisoned, it acts quickly and deadly. What if this time, it acted much slower?" No pairings
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! New story here. Got the idea when I was trying to sleep. Enjoy!**

It was a beautiful day. The perfect type of weather: right in the middle of summer and fall. Not too cold and not too hot. However, Merlin didn't had the chance to spend the time he wanted to enjoy it. No, instead, he had to get up early and get King Arthur's breakfast before King Arthur himself woke up. Easy task? No, especially if you had woken up late. Which, Merlin had. It had been a rough night and Merlin hadn't been able to go to sleep as early as he wanted.

He held back another yawn as he stood there in the kitchen hall, waiting for the plate of food. Usually he would just grab some various fruits and whatever looks edible and get that instead. However, this time, a new cook was substituting the regular cook and had insisted that Merlin and other servants wait for him to prepare a plate. He watched the cook happily gather the food for others. Finally the cook noticed Merlin. The man jumped and started fumbling before he quickly started making a new plate for the king.

Merlin raised an eyebrow, wondering what was his deal. Maybe he was nervous for serving the king for the first time? Finally the cook handed Merlin his plate, still acting nervous. Merlin took it and said his thanks. However, the man refused to meet eye contact and simply turned away, resuming his cooking. This time Merlin raised both of his eyebrows. Was this man afraid of him or something? He shrugged it off before walking upstairs to Arthur's room. There was no doubt that he was awake by now and probably very upset.

Paying close attention to the stairs, Merlin almost tripped when he caught a whiff of something rather foul. He stopped immediately and looked around, wondering if something had crawled in a corner and died. He looked around and saw nothing. He then looked down at the plate, dreading if that was the smell. The man looked as if he was a good cook so surely it couldn't be the food? Merlin had to test Arthur's food many times in the past, some good and some bad. He shrugged, figuring to give it a test. Of course, the horrid smell that seemed to be coming off the chicken made him hesitated for a moment. So, wanting it to be fast in case it did tasted as bad as it smelt, Merlin threw it into his mouth.

It tasted worst then it actually smelt. He gagged before swallowing it. He covered his mouth, willing his stomach to keep it down. Glaring at the offending food, Merlin turned around and walked back into the kitchen. He tossed the breakfast into the trash on his way there. How could that man think he could feed something so foul to the king? Maybe the chicken had just gone bad? Sighing, he shook his head. The man seemed to be horribly nervous, so maybe it was just an honest mistake? He sneaked into the kitchen, not wanting to get caught by the new cook. This time he was going to get the plate himself. By now, there was no doubt he was late and Arthur's going to be mad.

A few minutes later, Merlin barged into Arthur's room and ducked just in time for a goblet to smack against the wall right where Merlin's head had been. "And exactly why are you late this time, Merlin?" Arthur asked, exasperated.

"Hey!" Merlin cried out, pointing his free hand at Arthur. "I actually had a reason!" he defended himself. Of course, he didn't added that there usually was a reason.

Arthur crossed his arms and pressed his lips together. "Really. Do tell," he replied dryly. Merlin sat the plate of food down with a huff.

"There's a substitute cook today and somehow he managed to get your food all messed up. Had to get a new plate."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious! It was the foulest thing I have ever taste- I mean smell." Merlin cringed at the slip and hoped the young king missed it. Of course, thanks to his luck, he didn't. Arthur raised an eyebrow, not impressed.

"You tasted my food?"

"Only cause it smelt awful!"

Arthur rolled his eyes, not caring to continue the conversation; he was stressed and hungry and the food was calling him. He ignored Merlin as he sat down in front of his food, happily starting to eat it. Merlin huffed again, under his breath, before he started making the bed. He was awed at how messy the bed could get from one night's worth of sleep. He had half the mind that Arthur did it on purpose. Maybe he wasn't sleeping well? His stomach dropped with concern and he glanced at the king. However, he seemed just fine, so Merlin dispelled that thought.

"Oh, and Merlin?"

"Yes, Sire?" he answered, not completely paying attention to the king but rather at the task at hand.

"The barn needs cleaning."

Merlin groaned. Not again.

Merlin happily finished sweeping the last pen. He sighed heavily, leaning on the rake. His back was protesting from the abuse it had gotten but he ignored it. Aches and bruises were something that Merlin was used to, especially with his career. Who would've thought just how banged up a servant could get! He looked around, observing his work. Now all the horses needed was some water and food and he was done!

He grabbed the sack of grains and was about to pour it into the bucket when he was hit with a wave of nausea. He hesitated before setting the bag down, confused as the sudden nausea. However, much to his displeasure, the nausea was growing worse. His stomach grumbled unhappily and he realized what it was trying to tell him. He only the chance to turn to the corner before he started heaving.

What felt forever, his heaving finally stopped. He stepped back, gasping and hurting. His stomach was still upset and the nausea was still there, but at least it wasn't as threatening. He clench his eyes closed before he took a deep breath. What was that about? Maybe he overworked himself? Merlin put the rake away before he started trekking back up to the castle. The nausea was fading and he was starting to feel better. As more time past, he felt more sure that it was just him overworking himself. Maybe he needed more water or food?

He entered the hall just in time to hear Arthur calling him. Sighing, he changed directions and started walking to his room. When he opened the door, Arthur was standing in the middle of the room. Merlin cringed; did he forgot to do something?

"You forgot my laundry."

Merlin cringed again. Yep, he forgot something. He quickly entered the room and gathered the clothing that was draped across the room. How the pieces of clothing smell worse than Gaius's socks, he'll never know. As he continued gathering the laundry, he became aware of Arthur staring at him. He furrowed his eyebrows and look up to the young king. "What?"

Arthur also furrowed his eyebrows. "Why are your hands shaking?"

He blinked in confusion before looking down at one of his hands, holding it up in the air. True to his words, it was indeed shaking. He watched it tremble, wondering what caused it. Maybe the heaving or overworking?

"Huh. So I am."

"Right," Arthur said slowly. "So, if you're healthy enough to stand there and gawk at your hand, I'm assuming you're well enough to finish your job?" he finished in a questioning tone, but Merlin knew that it wasn't a question at all. The younger male grumbled to himself, muttering 'prat', before he finished his job. Something told him that this was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

**So, can I just kiss and hug everyone who favorite/followed/reviewed this story?**

Around dinner time, Merlin dragged his sore feet into Gaius's place, feeling dead tired. He was right; it was a long day. Gaius saw Merlin walking in and raised an eyebrow, an expression that would commonly be found on his face. However, he didn't question the exhausted man, and instead sat a plate of Merlin's favorite meal.

Merlin stared at the food on the plate, feeling his stomach rolling. He did not have the slightest bit of an appetite. Gauis's watchful eye noticed it. "Merlin, are you okay? You haven't touched anything on your plate."

Merlin cringed, feeling another wave of nausea from looking at his food. "Yeah, I'm just not hungry. I think I'm going to hit the hay early tonight." He got up from the table and walked over to his little room that he stayed in. He didn't notice Gaius watching him walk away with a concerned expression.

Merlin did not sleep well that night. He felt miserable and sleep wouldn't let him escape the misery. Most of the time, he just lay there daydreaming. And, typically, he fell asleep an hour before he had to wake up. Gaius called out Merlin' name, waking him, and notifying him that he ought to hurry before he was late. Again. He groaned as he rolled out of his bed. He staggered a little as he walked to his door, still exhausted feeling. He could feel a headache starting.

Gaius saw the state the Merlin was in and again raised his eyebrow. If the boy had looked bad the night before, then he looked a lot worse. It didn't took his medical career to know that something was wrong. Especially when Merlin made a face at breakfast when he thought the older man wasn't looking. "Merlin, tell me what's wrong. You look miserable."

Yawning, Merlin scratched the back of his head before flopping his arms back down at his sides. "I don't know, probably a stomach bug. It's not that bad, so it should go away after a while."

"Are you sure?" the man asked, not quite believing him. Merlin nodded before swiping a slice of bread. Sticking the piece of bread in his mouth, he waved goodbye before quickly walking to the kitchens. He noticed that the skittish man was gone and instead the usual cook was back, happily cooking. Merlin practically sighed in relief; he did not want to deal with that man again. Besides, that skittish man's food was rather foul. Weaving his way around all the people who were either cooking or gathering food, he grabbed a plate and gather his own food for Arthur.

He left the kitchen quickly, no longer wanting to be part of the chaos in there. His headache, lingering behind his eyes, was persisting and the loud crowd didn't help. Merlin quickly ran up the stairs before he got the king's door. Silently opening the it, he made sure the king was still asleep before he made his presence known. Arthur was softy snoring on the mattress, oblivious to the world. A huge grin crept onto Merlin's face. Setting the plate down, he rushed into the room and opened the blinds, revealing the rising sun. However, he couldn't help but close his eyes tightly. The sun _hurt_them like never before. Maybe he should ask Gaius about this headache?

"Rise and shine, your Highness. A brand new day is here," Merlin said cheerfully before grabbing the laundry. Yes, he still felt miserable, but somehow, he felt better waking Arthur. Especially with the curtains.

"Really, Merlin?" Arthur grunted, talking about Merlin's greeting. The tall male didn't reply, knowing that they had already had this conversation before. He instead grabbed Arthur's clothing and draped it across the dressing curtain. Stepping back, he allowed Arthur to drag himself out of bed and get changed.

"So, what are the plans for today?" Merlin asked out of habit. Arthur hummed slightly, thinking.

"We'll probably go hunting later in the afternoon. I have tons of paper to sign today and it'll probably take all morning," Arthur grumbled.

Arthur kept talking but Merlin found himself tuning him out. His headache was getting worse and he wasn't sure what was causing it. He rubbed his forehead, hoping that would help. However, nothing happened. He looked back up to see Arthur glaring at him. Merlin cringed; he was caught.

"Finally paying attention, are we?"

"Sorry," Merlin muttered. Arthur sighed before he walked over to his window to peer outside at the weather. It was another good day with good weather.

"Right, then. Merlin, I'm going to need you to pack for the hunting trip. I don't know, what do you usually pack? Food, tools – you know, the usual stuff," Arthur said, more to himself than anything. Arthur didn't really needed to go hunting, he just wanted to get away from the castle and take a break. Today was the perfect day for it. However, he turned around to see Merlin cradling his head.

"Oh, come on, Merlin! Hunting's not that bad!" Arthur exclaimed; however he was a bit concerned.

"No, I -" Merlin interrupted himself with a groan. Something was definitely wrong. Not only was he feeling nauseated, but his head suddenly felt as if it were full. He allowed his knees to collapse under him, wanting to sit down. He felt horribly shaky and wondered if he was going to throw up before or after he passed out. Arthur quickly walked over Merlin, trying to see if he could help somehow.

"That's it, Merlin. Get up, I'm taking you to Gaius," Arthur sighed, making his tone sound as if this were a huge chore. He grabbed Merlin's forearm before he pulled him up. Merlin clench his eyes closed as the room swayed around him. He felt his stomach lurched and he doubled over, heaving. Thankfully nothing was coming up, but he hoped it stayed that way. He did not want to be sick in front of the Royal Prat.

Arthur made a noise of disgust before he started guiding Merlin to Gaius. There were a few incidents where Merlin had to stop, in fear that he was either to either going to pass out or throw up. After what felt like forever, they arrived at Gaius's room. The elderly man looked up from whatever concoction he was making and glanced at the two younger males before he shot up, concerned. He cleared off the spare bed he had and gesturedtoward it. The king practically dragged Merlin to the bed before he let go of the younger male. Merlin sank into the bed with a groan.

"What happened?" Gaius asked, eyeing Merlin with concern. Maybe that 'little stomach bug' was biting Merlin in the butt.

"I don't know; he just collapsed and started heaving. Which, by the way, if you had actually done something, I would've made you clean it, you know."

"Sorry," Merlin muttered. However, he was keeping his eyes clench closed in fear that if he opened them and found the world still swaying, he would lose his control on this upset stomach. He heard Gaius hum thoughtfully before moving around the room.

"Tell me your symptoms, Merlin."

Swallowing and making sure he could actually open his mouth, Merlin murmured, "Nausea and headache." He was sure he was missing something, but he couldn't think of it right now, since his head was feeling groggy. Eyes still closed, he heard Gaius walk over to him and feel his forehead. Merlin always knew that the older man had cold hands, but he never realized until now just how cold.

"And a fever, too," the older man murmured before turning back to his shelves and pulling out vials of different coloured liquids. Occasionally glancing at Merlin, Arthur watched as Gaius worked. The younger male looked miserable, and the king cringed when he imagine just how Merlin had manage to hide this from him. But then again, it wasn't like Arthur was paying attention.

Gaius walked back to the bed, bringing with him three vials and a bucket. Neither of them had to asked what the bucket was for. He set it down next to the head of the bed before sitting down on the stool he kept around just in case. He mixed two of the vials in one cup, being careful with the measurements. When he deemed it acceptable, he handed it to Merlin. "I need you to drink this and try to hold it down. It'll help with the nausea."

Groaning, Merlin opened his eyes and peered at the cup Gaius was holding. He didn't have to see it to know that it looked and smelt vile. His stomach complained at the thought. Carefully sitting up, he took the cup from Gaius who did not let go until he was sure that Merlin had a firm grip on the vial. Of course, that alone was a difficult task with his hands shaking so badly. Steeling himself first, Merlin gulped again before he quickly drainedthe potion. The second Gaius took the cup from him, he laid back down, eyes closed, and waited till his stomach was slightly less fragile. He grit his teeth, irrationally thinking that doing so would help. Of course, it didn't help the headache. But at least it made him felt slightly better.

The physician glanced up and noticed the king still in the room. "Your Highness, if you're going to stay, perhaps you can make yourself useful?"

"Yeah, of course. Right. Uh, what do you need?" Arthur quickly said, standing up from the seat he had claimed, feeling slightly awkward. He almost felt like a scolded kid. Gaius simply raised an eyebrow before continuing to speak.

"There is a pile of rags over there," he said, gesturing to the cupboard. "Get one and soak it in cold water for me."

Arthur quickly walked over to the cupboard, eager to get the job done. He wouldn't say it, but he was concerned about Merlin. If he had a stomach bug, then that wasn't good. Arthur had heard many times of deaths caused by stomach bugs. It was almost ironic. That man could survive the craziest things but it was a stomach bug that brought him down. Arthur shook his head; that last one was an unwanted thought. He got the rag damp before carrying it over back to Gaius.

The elderly man took it and folded it neatly before placing it on Merlin's forehead, earning a shiver from him. Gaius only had a minute or two to watch Merlin start to relax before he suddenly shot up and doubled over the bucket, throwing up the measly bread he had had for breakfast. Even after Merlin had nothing in his stomach, he kept heaving for a while before his stomach calmed down. When the fit was done, Merlin collapsed back in bed, feeling even more exhausted and miserable. Behind Gaius, Arthur was having some problems holding his own breakfast down. He could handle blood and gore but _that_? He shuddered in disgust.

Gaius furrowed his eyebrows. In all the years that Merlin had been with him, never before had Merlin gotten sick like this. The physician remembered the boy complaining about a cook that was substituting yesterday. Perhaps that was the cause?

"Merlin? Did you eat something that might've caused this?"

Recognition dawned on Merlin and he slowly nodded his head. "Yeah," he mumbled. "I tried something foul the cook made."

Gaius raised an eyebrow at the sick servant. "Are you sure? As long as I've known her, she's never once cooked something that could cause this."

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, confused as to why Gaius would mention the usual cook. "No, not her. The substitute."

"Substitute?" Gaius asked, not liking the sound of that. Merlin nodded, however quickly stopped when the world stated spinning.

"Yeah, he was cooking for the day cause she was sick."

The older man frowned, not pleased when he heard this. If what Merlin had said is true, then this man should be reported then. Both stomach bugs and food poisoning can be dangerous. He'd have to keep an eye on Merlin until he deemed it safe for the poor young man. He sighed before replacing the rag on Merlin's head. Gaius then got up and emptied the bucket before placing it back beside Merlin. He looked up to see the king studying Merlin with anxiety.

"Your Highness, if that cook did indeed cook something bad that happen to caused this to Merlin, then surely you must have a word with the substitute cook?"

Arthur nodded, "Of course, soon as possible." Walking to the door, Arthur hesitated before stopping. He turned around and face Gaius, eyebrows furrowed. "Will he, uh, will he be okay?"

Gaius nodded. "Rather if is a bug or food poisoning, he should be fine as long as he stays hydrated. He should be better in at least a week."

Arthur seemed to deflate. He sent a grateful smile to the old man before turning again and leaving. Gaius waited a few minutes before glancing down at Merlin, who had finally fallen asleep. He frowned. If it was indeed is food poisoning, then why hadn't anyone else come to him with complaints about food poisoning? Or at least about an illness. Something wasn't right and Gaius didn't like it.


	3. Chapter 3

It's only been a day since Merlin first came into Gaius's workplace, but the boy was still getting worse. He could barely keep down water and the physician was worried that Merlin would die from dehydration before anything else. When Merlin was awake, he would be expelling his stomach contents. The rest of the time, however, he was in a semi-conscious state with his high fever. His body was fighting something, but Gaius couldn't even figure it out. At one point, he wondered if it was magic. But after a thorough search and finding nothing, that option was ruled out. Maybe it was a stomach bug?

The old man looked up when Arthur walked in quietly. The prince walked up to the bed where Merlin was resting. He studied the servant boy, cringing. He did not look good. He changed his focus to Gaius. "I went into the kitchen looking for the male cook that Merlin mentioned. If he was indeed a cook, he's not there anymore. And as it turned out, Margret wasn't even sick. She told me that she had been cooking all day at the time," he stated before sitting down on a wooden bench. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Not only that, but none of people whom this mysterious man served is sick. Only Merlin."

Gaius frowned. That is odd. He knew that Merlin wouldn't lie about seeing someone like that. Perhaps that male cook was lying himself? The physician studied Merlin, eyebrows furrowed. Perhaps that man had ill-intent? The sounds of Merlin throwing up in the bucket broke off Gaius's train of thoughts. Both he and Arthur glanced at Merlin, cringing in sympathy. Exhausted, Merlin flopped back into the bed, eyes squint closed.

While Arthur was trying not to gag, Gaius walked over to the dish full of water, grabbed it, and then sat down on a wooden stool. He grabbed the rag from Merlin's warm forehead and dipped it into the cool water. When he was sure that the rag received the cold water, he draped it across Merlin's head again.

Merlin eyelids fluttered before completely opening. He glanced around the room, noticing both Gaius and Arthur watching him. He blinked again before his vision became clearer. He groaned at the stab behind his eyes. He glanced back at Arthur before chuckling. "Arthur, you look like a ghost," he murmured. Arthur managed a weak smile.

"Well, you don't look too good, either."

Merlin closed his eyes, feeling exhausted. "Yeah, well, I don't feel too good," he said quietly. Gaius sighed, rubbing his eyebrows. What could he do? If it was indeed a bug than there was nothing he could do. He stared at the younger male's face, studying in his features. Merlin was even more paler than before, and the dark circles under his eyes don't help. Gaius didn't need a scale to know that Merlin had already lost an unhealthy amount of weight. The physician sighed, feeling rather hopeless.

"Merlin?" Arthur questioned, slightly touching his shoulder. Merlin hummed slightly, not opening his eyes. "Perhaps you could tell us more about the food you ate? You know, the plate that was mine?" Arthur's tone had a hint of teasing, but it was clear that he was concern.

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember it. "Its taste was the same smell of that troll. The one that married your father."

Arthur and Gaius both cringed at the memory. Well, if it smelt like her, than it must've tasted it even worse. "Anything else?" the king asked.

"It smelt bad," Merlin whispered, quickly fading into unconsciousness.

Gaius frowned. "Merlin, did it looked rotten?"

The sick man cracked his eyes opened, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "No, I supposed not. It looked good." The last part of the sentence came out slurred. They could tell that Merlin had fallen asleep. Arthur looked up in surprise when Gaius suddenly stood up and walked to his shelves. Arthur often wondered how did this man got so many books and what they were all about. He watched curiously as Gaius pulled out a random book and started flipping through the pages. He stopped at a few before continuing his search. Finally, he paused at one page and studied it. Arthur's curiosity grew when he heard the man whispered, "Oh no."

"What is it, Gaius?"

Gaius didn't replied but instead walked to Arthur and handed him the book. Peeved at not being answered, Arthur grabbed the book and looked at it. He skimmed the page twice before he finally realized what the old pages were saying. And even after that, he skimmed it again two more times. He looked at Gaius, feeling horrified. "Poison?"

**Had to write this under a deadline so it's very rough. Sorry, guys! Won't be another update until next month sometime. **


	4. Chapter 4

**So, can I kiss and hug all of you? And surprise! Another chapter! The next one is the last and it won't come probably until October. And sorry! This is completely unproof read! Leaving tomorrow and been busy. Hope you enjoy it, anyways! **

When Gaius nodded, Arthur slumped back in his seat. This whole time they've been treating an illness when in actuality, it was poison? Arthur felt disbelief. However, it made perfect sense. The substitute cook had put the poison in Arthur's food intended for Arthur. However, Merlin tried it instead. Arthur made a mental note to strangle Merlin whenever he gets better.

Gaius grabbed the book back from the king and studied the page some more. "It's a poison made from the Icarus plant, made from the roots."

"It is curable, right?" Arthur asked impatiently. Gaius cast an unimpressed expression towards him before looking back at the book. He read for a few moments before replying.

"Well, yes. But only if it's administered in time. As time goes on, the weaker the person will get due to the poison. After a certain about of time, the antidote will no longer work."

Arthur stared at Gaius, waiting for something that sounded like good news. However, the physician simply looked up and slowly shook his head. Gaius set the book down and walked over to his shelf of ingredients, silently mumbling to himself. Arthur watched him for a few minutes before turning his attention to Merlin. Arthur could feel his stomach churned unpleasantly when he looked at just how skinnier Merlin has gotten. His cheekbones were more prominent and dark bruises were under his eyes. The king didn't needed a medical education to know that Merlin wasn't getting the nutrition he needed due to vomiting all the time.

Arthur looked up when Gaius walked back over to them, holding a vial of thick green liquid. "The antidote is rather simple to make," Gaius explained. He handed the vial to the king to hold before turning around to his table. The physician grabbed another vial; this time it contained a light blue, thin liquid. It could be mistaken for water if it weren't for the colour. He traded the vials with Arthur before turning to Merlin. Propping Merlin's head up, Gaius slowly pour the potion in his slightly opened mouth. He continued to hold Merlin up until he was sure that he had swallowed it.

Gaius sat Merlin's head down before turning to Arthur and holding his hand up for the second potion. Once Arthur handed him the vial, Gaius repeated the process with Merlin. When he was done, he stepped back and sat down, sighing. He grabbed the rag from Merlin's forehead and replaced it with a cooler one.

Arthur raised an eyebrow to Gaius, asking, "Now what?"

The older man shook his head. "Now we wait."

Two days later and Merlin still didn't look any better. Gaius worked as hard as he could to keep his fever down but it never broke. Once in a while, Arthur would come and visit. However, his visits were never long due to the guilt he felt. He somehow felt as if this whole thing was his fault. It wasn't until the night of the second day was there any change.

Gaius was sitting at his desk, mixing some potions for villagers, when he heard a groan from the bed behind him. Startled, Gaius quickly turned around and looked at Merlin. Merlin was stretching before he rolled over and stared at Gaius with half opened eyes. The physician shot up from his seat and quickly walked over to the younger male. He touched his forehead and nearly cried with relief; Merlin's fever had finally broke.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked, his voice sounding exhausted. Gaius patted his head with affection.

"You've been seriously ill, Merlin. I'm going to need you to eat this," he explained, handing the servant a piece of bread. Merlin looked at it for a moment before taking it and taking small bites from it. As Gaius had expected, he didn't had much of an appetite. However, it was food that he needed. Once Merlin finished the small piece of bread, Gaius handed him a small cup of water and helped him drink it. When he was finished, Merlin sank back into the pillow and quickly fell asleep.

As soon as Gaius had awoken in the morning, he sent a servant to Arthur to notify him that Merlin was getting better. It was only twenty minutes after Gaius had sent the servant when Arthur burst into Gaius chambers. He marched over to Merlin, studying him. He then looked up at the physician. "How is he?"

"He woke up last night and drank and ate. He should be doing much better. He is, however, still exhausted due to the poison and needs his rest."

Arthur sighed before sitting down in the bench besides Merlin's bed. He studied the servant, noticing that the dark bruises looked lighter. He was also a lot less paler. He watched as Merlin mumbled something in his sleep before turning over. He opened his dark blue eyes before glancing at Arthur. Blinking twice, he groaned again. "Arthur, that's a sight a lot of servants really don't want to see that when they wake up."

The king let out a laugh. "Glad to see you awake."

Merlin grunted a response before stretching again. He sat up and turned to look at Arthur with a raised eyebrow. "Careful, your Highness. One might start to wonder if you care."

Arthur huffed, irritated already before standing up and walking to Gaius. When he was standing next to the physician, Arthur glanced back to Merlin. The servant had laid back down in the cot, already feeling exhausted. He turned back to Gaius. "Well, he's awake. How soon will it be until he can work again?"

Gaius hummed, thinking, before he answered. "Probably a week, sire. His body is still exhausted. However, he is out of the woods and should be fine with rest."

Arthur nodded, confirming that he heard what the man had said. He walked back over to Merlin and mocked a disappointed expression. "Sorry, Merlin. Looks like you're not dying this time."

Merlin chuckled at the joke. "Dang."


End file.
